Coffee



Fatented Apr 2.3, 1940 UNlTED STATES PAT COFFEE No Drawing. ApplicationOctober 28, 1939, Serial No. 301,756

6 Claims.

This application relates to retarding the development of staleness andto improving the quality of roasted coffee and is a continuation in partof application, Serial No. 102,631, filed September 25, 1936, andthrough said application of application, Serial No. 57,856 filed January6, 1936, which in turn was copending with application Serial No. 3,876filed January 28, 1935, which matured into Patent No. 2,026,697 onJanuary '7, 1936.

In accordance with the present invention, unroasted green coffee beamsare subjected to a grinding operation to produce green coffee bean flourand the green coffee bean flour thus obtained is utilized in a smallamount in the treatment of roasted coffee and is applied preferably inaqueous suspension or dispersion to the wholecoffee beans while they areat an elevated temperature in excess of 250 F. and desirably between400" F. and 450 F. and following the roasting operation.

The whole green coffee beans are ground either in a hammer or attritionmill or otherwise pulverized and preferably the green cofiee beans areground to mesh and desirably to about 48 mesh or more. The green coffeebean flour thus obtained has a characteristic grass or hay odor which isentirely dissipated after application to the roasted coffee.

The cofiee beans are first roasted by being subjected to a direct flametreatment and as soon as the roasting operation has been completed andthe beans are-of the desired roasted color, aroma and flavor, the greencoffee bean flour, preferably in aqueous disperson or suspension, isapplied to the hot roasted coffee beans by being sprayed on those beansin the roasting chamber and while the beans are at the high temperatureof roasting. Generally, the beans at this point are at a temperature ofbetween 300 F. and 400 F. or more so that at the application of thegreen cofifee bean flour in aqueous dispersion, the beans are suddenlyreduced in temperature and no further roasting can take place.

There may be applied to the roasted coffee beans a small amount,generally under 5% and preferably about 2% or less, of the green coffeebean flour against the weight of the roasted cofiee. From 1% to 2% ofthe green coffee bean so flour gives satisfactory results.

Where, for example, 40 pounds of water are to pounds of water beforebeing sprayed on the beans in the roasting chamber 10 pounds of greencoffee bean hour, the flour having first been added to the 40 pounds ofwater, and pounds of the combination of the water and green coffee beanflour being applied to the roasted coffee beans in the cylinderimmediately as the flame is extinguished and while the beans are at theelevated temperature of roasting, substantially above 250 F.

At the time of application of the water containing the green coffee beanflour to the roasted beans while they are at the elevated temperature,it is estimated that about to or possibly more of the water which isapplied to the roasted coffee beans in this manner is immediatelyconverted to steam and only a small proportion remains in the roastedcofiee beans.

The roasted coffee beans thus treated may be ground orotherwiseprocessed as in. the manufacture of various grades of ground roastedcofiee and the ground coffee shows no difierence in appearance afterthis treatment.

The green coffee bean flouradheres more completely to the roasted cofieebeans and is much less objectionable from. the standpoint of theappearance of the whole roasted coffee beans than where the green cofieebean flour is applied to the whole roasted cofiee beans after they havebeen allowed to cool.

Green coffee bean flour may also less preferably be mixed with theroasted coffee after the cofiee has been ground, or the green coffeebeans in ground or bean condition may be added to the whole roastedcoffee beans followed by grinding.

vIn addition to the enhanced stabilizing effect when the green coffeebean flour is applied to the roasted coffee while the roasted coffee isat the elevated temperature, it has also been found that the greencoffee bean iio'ur tends to absorb some of the oil which is exuded atthe surface of the roasted coffee and thereby there is less oilformation on the coifee beans after grinding and during normal storageor distribution. v

As a result of the'treatment described in accordance with thisinvention, the roasted coffee is stabilized to a marked degree againstoxidative deterioration, and the developmentof staleness and off-odorsand rancidity ismateriallyretarded, giving the coffee a finer flavor andaroma at the time of final consumption in the home.

In addition to using the green cofiee bean flour, there may similarly beemployed the water and alcoholic extracts of the codes bean flour. Forexample, the green coffee beans or green coffee bean flour may beextracted with water,

preferably acidified to a pH of about 4.5 to 7.0, and desirably at atemperature between about F. and F., removing the water soluble portionby filtration, siphoning or cetrifuging and then concentrating the waterextract to be used for addition to the roasted coffee immediatelyfollowing the roasting operation and while the coffee beans are at theelevated temperature of to the roasted coffee, desirably at the elevated7 temperature.

Where the water or alcoholic extracts of green coffee bean flour areutilized in the teratment of roasted cofiee, smaller proportions may beemployed such as between 0.05% and 2% of the extract against theweightof the roasted coffee.

It is particularly surprising to observe the antioxygenicelfect ofthegreen coffee bean flour as applied to the roasted coffee beans in'view of the vfact that either the green coffee bean flour or roastedcoffee bean flour is a good antioxidant when used for addition to theglyceride oils such as for addition to lard, tallow, oleo oil,cottonseed oil, corn oil, soyabean oil, tea seed oil, cod liver oil,butter and other glyceride oils and fats and compositions containing thesame with or without subsequent heating to above 250 F. in amounts of0.1% to 5%. I

Having described my invention, what I claim 1. A method of stabilizingroasted cofiee which comprises applying to the roasted coffeeimmediately following roasting and while the coffee beans are at atemperature in excess of 250 F. a small amount of green cofiee beanflour in aqueous dispersion.

2. A substantially stabilized roasted ground coffee comprising acombination of a small quantity of a green cofiee bean flour, ground toover 48 mesh, with roasted coffee. I 3. A method of stabilizing roastedcoffee which comprises applying to the roasted coffee, immediatelyfollowing the roasting and while the coffee beans are at a temperaturein excess of 250 F.. a small amount of an antioxygenic material selectedfrom the group consisting of green coffee bean flour and its water andalcohol soluble extracts. Y

4. A substantially stabilized roasted ground coffee comprising acombination of a small quantity of an antioxygenic material selectedfrom the group consisting of green coffee bean flour and its water andalcohol soluble extracts, with the roasted coffee.

5. A method of stabilizing roasted cofiee which comprises treating saidcoffee with a small quantity of green coffee bean flour;

6. A substantially stabilized roasted coffee comprising a relativelysmall proportion, less than 5%,-of an antioxygenic green cofiee beanflour.

SIDNEY MUSHER.

